Lovely Isolation
by Wendigo Heart
Summary: Matthew likes to live in solitude, he likes to live far north in rural Ontario, and Matthew loves his job as a lumberjack. What he doesn't like is cocky american businessmen from cities coming to develop his land. Unfortunately, ones car just broke down.


MERRY FREAKIN' CHRISTMAS! :D I'm posting two things to celebrate the day! (I've been on such a writing role!)

This is a little winter (not christmas) themed story with MATTHEW AND ALFRED! It's very fluffy and light on the yaoi... And I will warn you, though he doesn't look like it... Matthew is a BIT of a MANADA (lol) in this story. I'm Canadian and was like.. well yes, we are shy and polite.. And We FOR SURE have an inferior complex to America.

But I mean other then the people from BC and Ontario... Man we are farmers, ice fishers, lumber jacks and outdoors people! :D

Anyways... no real warnings except SLIGHT man loving.

Enjoy!

* * *

Matthew pursed his lips as he craned his head past the heavy curtains, peeking his head past dusty and moth-eaten cloth only to be blinded by white. His sleep-covered eyes fluttered open and closed as they adjusted like a cat's, his eyes becoming slits.

His tongue slid over his lips, wetting the sleep-dried surface before sucking lightly on the slit in his lips from yesterday, it felt raw and tasted faintly of copper. You'd think that after years of living buried in Canadian snow his body would have adjusted long ago. Sighing he let his hand drop, ghosting down the dusty curtain that he mused, seriously needed a cleaning.

"Good morning Latka." Matthew smiled warmly, leaning over at the end of his hand-carved bed to run his hand along the head of his white malamute buried within a dozen hand-made quilts. " How's my favourite girl?"

She yawned, her head craning back, showing the row of white teeth. Matthew kept smiling his soft little smile knowing she was tired. He patted his hip, a few quick snaps at alert her and to tell her tired or not, it was time to get up. He watched her strong white body drag out of their shared bed to trot beside him on the raw hardwood floor. " Breakfast time!" He jeered as he walked down the winding wooden staircase, passing by picture frames that were lit up by his skylight up above the staircase that illuminated the area with natural winter morning light. He glanced at photos of him hoisting the dog sledding championship cup, two attractive women dressed in fur giving him his congratulatory kisses much to his embarrassment.

That type of photo was shown over and over down the hall, having won multiple years. Other pictures were him and the stoic and strange Swedish man Berwald who ran the local coffee shop. They stood hoisting up identical coffee cups, both smiling weak and reserved smiles. A small Finnish man, the Swedish man's "wife" (gay marriage WAS legal in Canada after all), stood beside the Swedish man clutching onto his arm, a small sleeping blonde baby no older than one slung onto his back in a sling.

Others included family photos of Matthew with his father back when they lived in the rural town near Chisasibi in the far north of Quebec, right next to Hudson's Bay. When he first moved to Canada before Matthew was born the proud Frenchman refused to live anywhere but in French-speaking Quebec. It made Matthew's heart ache when he looked at picture of him. Lastly, Matthew smiled weakly at a few more photos of friends in their small town high school graduation uniforms.

The jingle of Latka's collar awoke him from his trance as he continued down the stairs in his flannels. He sucked his teeth making little encouraging noises as he opened his old refrigerator, the light flickering to life as he opened it. Considering he lived in a two level log cabin, he had a relatively open and airy house, but with the money it cost for Matthew to update the kitchen and bathrooms to the twenty-first century he didn't have much to splurge on appliances, or new curtains for that matter.

His fingers fished in and grabbed a now thawed packet of raw meat, groping around his counter until he pulled out a knife and tugged at the package until it ripped open. " On by." He said, using his mushing instructions to keep Latka at bay.

Latka licked her lips as she was teased as Matthew set the food down for her to glance at hungrily. "It's okay girl… you can eat." Matthew smiled as he prepared his own meal of homemade oatmeal as his dog tore through raw flesh. Such as a regular scene in his home.

Matthew sighed as he grated a cinnamon stick over his oatmeal before shoveling it into his mouth, reading over the paper from yesterday about the going ons in his tiny village and the surrounding area. He lived far up north in Ontario in a village filled with cold-blooded immigrants and natives, far enough that most Ontarians forgot they even existed. So of course there was nothing of note.

He ditched his dishes in the sink and then shrugged on his lumberjack jacket, lacing up his winter boots over his flannels and wrapping a scarf around his neck. He pulled over his warm work gloves before leaning by the door outside to grab his axe. His whistled once and Latka was at his side as he began to track through the snow. He whistled a homely French tune he could remember his father singing as he went deep into the woods outside in his backyard.

Matthew laboured away chopping at his trees, automatically yelling timber from instinct after being a lumberjack for a few years now. He made quick work of the young tree, chopping it into manageable sized chunks. Latka followed his heels loyally as he hoisted with a grunt piece after piece on his shoulder, taking one at a time back to his snow-covered yard.

After an hour of chopping he had new firewood for later that evening. He strolled off without a word, snatching up his drill and two buckets. He went back to that very forest, stalking through the thin leafless trees until he came across his favourite maple trees, smiling as he glanced into the buckets, observing the fill of the day. He emptied them all out into one and put them all back, carrying a half filled bucket of sweet sap.

A little shiver rolled down his back as snowflakes permeated the forest as they mixed in his pale blonde hair. He should have really grabbed a toque now that he thought about it. But it was too late for that, he was outside already.

He got to work at drilling a new hole, Latka lounging in a snow bank a few feet away, her head buried between his snowy white paws.

After all his yard work was done Matthew shed his extra layers, taking his work boots off by the front door to walk with the metal bucket of syrup through to the kitchen, his socks were wet making little foot prints all along the floor. He put a pot on the stove and poured the syrup in, cranking the heat up just right. He would let that heat all day under his supervision and maybe he would have pancakes later for dinner.

He stalked upstairs to change into his day clothes, hating to stay so under-dressed all day. He took a long hot shower then called up Tino, the Swedish man's "wife" so he could listen to his go on about their son for hours. He was nearly four now and he raved on about how he was going already on his first fishing trip with his "far". Then he politely drilled Matthew about his love life and why he hadn't found himself a nice girl. Then he started to talk about his ukrainian niece who was working at the diner down the road.

And at that moment Matthew politely excused himself from the conversation. Sighing from the energy drained from the conversation, he made himself a quick coffee and dribbled some of last week's maple syrup into it to sweeten it, then sloshed a bit of cream in it. Sweet coffee was the best in his opinion. Grabbing a few piece of wood and started a fire in his living room hearth, sitting on the floor as he propped his feet up, Latka nestled in the bear skin rug on the floor. Matthew had shot and killed it last winter with the Russian he often hunted with. He made sure there was no head, but even then sometimes he was uneasy when he sat upon it. It was a polar bear, and he was sure shooting them was pretty much illegal or something… But up here those sorts of rules rarely applied.

He sipped his coffee silently enjoying the silence. That was why he lived alone, and why he loved it so much. No one disturbed him unless he asked them too. When he wanted someone from town in his house, they always came for a while and they chatted over coffee and lunch about the ice-fishing season, or about the grocery store's expansion, an expansion was big news in this small town and everyone was bustling over it lately. That's what he loved about this life… it was so damned simple.

Matthew did as he did many nights; he flicked on his tiny TV and watched the bad quality caught from his "bunny ears". He watched Casablanca tonight as it was on one of the few channels he got. The fire was going strong as the smell of maple was now permeating through the house, mixing with the smell of fresh burning wood. The sun had long slipped behind the trees, and the snow had long stopped glowing a million beautiful hues of red and pink. The stars had begun to shine outside his house and outside had grown cold and snowy. Matthew found the whipping of wind against his windows oddly soothing. Matthew was curled up on his overstuffed couch a quilt his father made draped over himself, Latka's head laid gently over his socked feet. He felt his eyelids grow droopy from the warmth and crackling of the fire, and the sound of muffled voices from his TV. The maple syrup had long been turned off so… why shouldn't he just sleep here?

He was almost asleep when.

_KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK._

His eyes snapped open as his eyes darted to the opening to the kitchen. Who the heck was here at this hour? He looked at the little wooden framed clock perched up on the mantle. It was nearly ten!

Matthew cautiously got up from his comfortable couch to stalk through the dimly fire-lit living room. His feet padded along the floor as he entered the kitchen, lit by a few pine-scented candles he liked to light at night. He pulled his thick sweater tighter around his frame as he shivered a little as he past the staircase. He heard the clacking of nails as Latka trailed after him now, curiously. " Hush girl." Matthew cooed, feeling slightly safer with Latka at his heels. He approached the heavy oak door. He heard the hard knocking again and then steadied his hand on the handle as he heard a few shouts in the whirl of wind.

" Hello! Anyone home?" Matthew cocked an eyebrow as he opened the door cautiously, whirls of snow whipping into his house as he peeked his head out. "Oh! Oh thank god someone's home!"

Matthew wasn't used to unexpected quests… So that alone made him slightly uncomfortable. But what made him more uncomfortable was the man before him, rubbing his shoulders, was incredibly handsome.

He had half moon glasses perched up on a strong nose, his hair was short and dirty blonde as it whipped around his wind-lashed face. His eyes were also a stunning blue. " W-who?" Matthew made out as he stared at him, confused.

" S-sorry man… My car…" He thrusted his thumb in the direction of a black form that was threatened to be buried alive with snow. " It broke down…"

Matthew bit his lip as he stared at the man who was severely under dressed. Was he a tourist?... Why would there even BE tourists up here? He felt suspicion weld up in his chest but he pushed it back as he opened his door." Come on in." He said quietly.

" Oh man you are a lifesaver!" The man said in a strong accent that Matthew had never heard before, he watched as the shorter man walked past him into the house as Matthew closed the door behind him. The fact that he was slightly shorter didn't make Matthew feel any more comfortable.

He shrugged off his layers of clothes and Matthew hung them up, patting the snow out of them. He turns to look at the man who he learns is named Alfred and notices he's well built, it makes Matthew blush.

They did a bit of small talk as they strolled to the kitchen and Latka followed their heels. It was strange the way Alfred acted so open while Matthew stayed so closed as he played around with Latka as Matthew pulled together the ingredients for pancakes. He whipped up a quick batch as he poured it in a sizzling grill. " So… what brings you here Alfred?" He asked slightly suspiciously as he patted down the pancake with the spatula, hearing it sizzle in the butter. " Not many people come this far north without a purpose."

Alfred looked up from where he was stroking Latka. " Boring stuff. Business and such… Yanno' this is really a nice place you've got going here. It's remote, it's quaint, but it's got all the necessary amenities like a banks and grocery store." Alfred smiled up at Matthew and Matthew smiled faintly back. How long had it been since he had spent this long alone with an "outsider"?

" It is nice. I love living here." Matthew flipped the pancake and turned to look at Alfred. He paused then relaxed against the old element stove. " So what do you do? Like what sort of business." He may seem like he was picking at his personal life, but it was so rare of someone else to be here, it was slightly suspicious.

" Oil."

Immediately Matthew's face twisted up. He was right… he had every right to be suspicious of this man. They had had his kind up here before. Their quaint little town was sitting on a big oil reserve that they refused to touch. Many of the residents were from countless different countries, but the vast majority were of Inuit decent who believe in loving the land, not exploiting it like these men did. " Oh… so you are one of those men…" He scoffed, a little anger showing as he plated the first pancake, sliding it rather roughly towards Alfred.

" What do you mean?" Alfred asked confused as he cocked his head as he waited for Matthew to pass him a fork and knife.

" We've had your kind through this village countless times. All after one thing. All about profit and greed." Matthew reached for his gravy cup and instead poured the maple syrup from today into it. " It's fresh." He spat as he slid the cup along with the utensils.

" Whoa hold the phone." Alfred's face fell as he began to cut the pancakes, his stomach growling. "I'm not like- whoa man… these are good." Alfred said as he hungrily jammed another piece into his mouth, almost not chewing before swallowing. After he took a breath he continued. " I'm not like that you know... Think about it! Little villages like this are usually starved for jobs, and you know how the Natives are; alcohol problems and unemployment… This is a GOOD thing Matthew. It creates lots of jobs, brings your town money and your town will grow." He smiled a little dreamily as he stuffed another piece in. " Just think of the stores that would appear, it would make life so much easier!"

Matthew chuckled dryly as he poured more batter for his own pancake. " Alfred, I once lived in another rural town as a child and people like you came in and our once peaceful town became a big commercial mess. Most of the original townspeople I grew up with left the town as people poured in. There were stores and bars and busy streets." Matthew's mouth went dry at the mentions of bars. " And for the record we DON'T have some unemployment problem… Nor do we have an alcoholic problem here… Thank you very much."

Alfred stared in shock, as what seemed like a timid boy suddenly seemed quite angry. " What, you got a personal vendetta against me or something?" He stuffed the last of the pancake in.

" Well, last time my town got taken over by your type, the snowy roads were always busy and people were always drunk at the bar… Things happened."

" Who died?" Alfred chuckled staring at the gloomy boy who hovered over the pancakes.

" My father was killed in a car accident right outside the bar by one of my neighbours. That's why I moved here… A change of scenery. I don't want to see a town ruined again." Matthew bit his lip sourly, sadness long since passed. " Your new flood of people live differently then us Alfred… So don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

Alfred sighed apologetically. " Okay look, I'm sorry about your old man and all… And…" He didn't really know how to continue. He really had just met this kid. They sat in silence as Matthew plated his pancake and ate silently beside him. " So… you live by yourself here?"

Matthew nodded. " Me and Latka over there." He pointed weakly to his dog curled at Alfred's feet.

" Oh I think she likes me." He commented absent-mindedly before he turned. " Well… Isn't it lonely?"

Matthew went to shake his head, and then paused. He bit his lip. " No… Not really. I like living alone."

Alfred sighed as he cleaned his plate off in the sink. " Suuuurreee." He sung as he took Matthew's plate cleaning it off. Their tension from before starting to melt away, both parties silently agreeing not to bring it up again.

Matthew frowned then stood to defend himself and his lifestyle. " No! I really do!"

Alfred waltzed through the kitchen to the living room as he settled on the couch. " You can't tell me you are NEVER lonely in this house in the middle of freakin' no where!"

Matthew sighed as he plopped next to him on the couch. This guy was both rude and pushy. " Look I don't know? Maybe once and a while…"

Alfred beamed, as he was proved correct. " Man… You probably forget human touch, living out here like a hermit."

" I'm not a-." Matthew was cut off as he felt two strong arms wrap around him. " H-hey! Get off me!"

" Shhhhh." Alfred whispered and he chuckled as Matthew batted at him to let go. " Don't struggle dearest Matthew, I will only hold on tighter." He smiled as he felt the resistance stop. " I'm sure you haven't been hugged in ages! Have you?"

Matthew shook his head, grumbling a little in his arm that were making him blush at the warmth and strange security from this stranger.

Alfred rested his chin on the top of his head. " Your hair smells like maple…" He comment arbitrarily making Matthew blush a little at the strange comment.

" Thank you?" He asked as he felt his muscles one by one let go in Alfred's grasp. Maybe it was because it HAD been so long since he had been held like this that he surrendered so easily.

Then the talking was reduced to low whispers as the crackling fire was slowly dying out, the TV still playing un-named movies in the background and Latka's head was resting on Alfred's leg.

Was this what he was missing? It did feel strangely nice to be held like this and to almost feel safe for a moment. He felt his eyes drift closed, wrapped in strange warmth. Alfred's chest was rising and lowering slowly, signaling he was asleep. Matthew let his body fully relax how, letting Alfred's body take his weight and stress as he let himself go…

About fifteen minutes later his eyes groggily opened and he surveyed the situation. Well... that was unusual. It wasn't every day that you fell asleep in a stranger's arms. Matthew cheeks were hot as he stood up, Latka following before he went to the kitchen and made himself hot milk and brandy like he always did before bed. This time he doubled his recipe to make enough for two. That alone was a strange thing to do. It felt so out of routine.

He cupped the milk then strolled over to Alfred, nudging him awake. " W-wha?" The guy opened his eyes a slit. " Oh hey Matt." He said smiling. " Sleep well?" He grinned and chuckled a little as Matthew blushed, forcing the cup towards him, commanding him to drink.

They sat beside each other, their feet propped up on the table, Alfred's toes wiggling in his socks as they drank in peace. " So… I'll set you up a bed on the couch." Matthew said and Alfred nodded as he watched Matthew set his cup down and strolled to his linen closet to pull out a pillow and duvet. Alfred stood up sipping his milk as he watched Matthew prepare a bed for him. " This should do for the night… And in the morning I'll call the local contractor/electrician/plumber/snow remover/tower to get your car out."

Alfred chuckled. " You know it's a small town where one guy does all that."

Matthew smiled weakly, trying to forget Alfred's reason for being here. " Yea… and I love that about this place." He paused as he watched Alfred place his mug down as he crawled into bed. " So uhhh… Goodnight then?" He said awkwardly.

Alfred grinned this charismatic, happy and welcoming smile that made Matthew's heart race a little and nodded. " Good night Mattie."

Matthew blushed all the way up the stairs.

* * *

It was a slightly awkward breakfast of waffles and toast. Matthew told him the guy was currently fixing his car right now, and he should be ready to go in a few minutes.

Alfred chewed quietly, which seemed unusual. " Thanks again for last night." Alfred said smiling as he bit into his toast before sipping back some milk.

Matthew smiled and shrugged. " No big deal just… I don't want to see your face in this town again. Nothing personal."

Alfred chuckled and nodded understanding. " No, no I understand."

It was silent again until they both finished eating. Then the man came to the door and told them everything was ready, they both nodded and finished up their food, scraping the plates and placing them in the sink. Alfred offered to help clean them but Matthew shooed the idea away.

Alfred said his goodbyes to Latka and then gave Matthew a big hug, startling him as he was pulled tightly against his chest. " Hey… Mattie.."

"Hm?" Matthew was let go from his grasp and they stood only feet apart. He watched as Alfred fished into his jacket and handed him a little card. " What is this?" Matthew asked as he flipped it over to read it.

" My business card of course." He reached over the card to point at his name. " Alfred F. Jones…."

Matthew nodded.

"Look… if you are ever in New York… just give me a call, okay?" Alfred was about to end it there but then continued. " And if you ever need some company I wouldn't mind coming up here a few more times… It's a lovely place you've got.. I really mean it."

Matthew smiled and thanked him politely, watching as he lumbered off to his car. Matthew leaned against the doorframe in a plain tee and sweat pants, his arms folded as his breath coiled out in front of him like smoke as he started the car. A hand stuck out from the rolled down window, waving good-bye, and Matthew waved as well.

He sighed as he watched the car disappeared from his sight. He sighed, turning to Latka. " Well girl.. I guess it's just you and me, huh?"

Latka nuzzled his leg as he stared out at the sea of white. He turned into the house, closing the door. He walked through his house to the kitchen, suddenly the house seemed too quiet… Suddenly… it felt a little empty.

Why did he suddenly feel so.. lonely?

Matthew sighed sadly as he sat on the stool on the breakfast bar, leaning on his elbows to examine the card. He turned it in his hands. He didn't know what to do with it…

He contemplated throwing it in the trash, or throwing it in the fireplace to show in some sort of way that he didn't need what that man had to offer. But instead he trudged to the fridge, picking at one of the magnets almost stuck completely to the fridge from lack of use. He laid the magnet over it so it alone was on his fridge as if to remind him simultaneously that he was alone, and at the same time… never quite alone.

He turned with a bit of a smile on his face as he whistled for Latka as he grabbed his keys from the counter and turned for the front door. Instead of staying in with Latka… he'd go out to the shop to see Tino and Berwald about meeting their niece and just maybe picking up some weekend shifts at the coffee shop… He had something to save for.

So maybe he'd never make it out to New York… But it was nice to dream.

* * *

See? Very minimum man-loving but just enough I think!

Do you think Matthew WILL ever go to New York? Or was it just a chance meeting? :) You tell me.

I'm at my grandparents and hiding out from my little cousins and aunt who all have the stomach flu :X Oh jeeze... So I am glad to have an excuse to hide out.

**How are your christmases going? :)**

**Should this be MORE then a one shot? If so... any propositions for a plot XD!**

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this!


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